by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Jan. 9, 2025

Earlier this week, the Belize Police Department released its quarterly CompStats figures for 2024 that included the end-of-year murder numbers, and it highlighted that crime has reduced from 2023.

For 2024 the murder count capped off at 89, a slight increase from 2023 where the numbers ended at 87. While there were fewer lives lost due to bullets – in previous years the number was in triple digits – the number of vehicular traffic accidents has risen from 89 in 2023 to a record high last year of 118.

The Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams went on a local morning show and highlighted that most of the accidents that occurred involved motorcycle collisions, and that the department has a plan to reduce that this year.

He further mentioned that offenses such as riding without a helmet, riding three on a motorcycle, overtaking on the wrong side, and riding on the wrong side of the road will be cracked down.

Reports are that the majority of the fatal accidents occur while the driver is under the influence of alcohol, at night because of poor visibility, or because of speeding. One suggestion to help prevent any fatal accidents is that police officers be with the transport officers when they are working on the highways at night.

“It’s dangerous for many of the transport officers. Some of them are not armed to be on the highway, and if you do come across an intoxicated driver or even a criminal-minded driver who may be armed, it is important to have a police guard with them. We have offered our full support and assistance to the Department of Transport. There are night checkpoints where the police go out, so whenever it is that the Department of Transport calls upon our department, we offer our services,” said Hon. Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs in an interview on Monday, January 6.

For 2024, 215 persons were arrested for driving under the influence; however, it is unclear how many of those numbers contributed to fatal accidents.